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Sunday, April 14, 2013

Where Are My Backstage Passess??!!

Last Thursday, I was at an engagement party. I speaking outside with a friend of mine, when local celebrityBen Bresky arrived. Before going into the party, he came up to say hello.

Good, I thought to myself. I've been waiting for the opportunity to speak with him.

I finished up talking with my friend, and went inside. I quickly spotted Ben, host of Arutz 7'sIsrael Beat radio show, and then cornered him.

"Do you have an Israeli Press Pass?" I asked him innocently.

"Yes, of course," he calmly replied. Perhaps, he knew what was coming.

"How would you like to take me to the Depeche Mode Concert, in Tel-Aviv, May 7...and get us backstage passes?"

Martin Gore, Dave Gahan, Andy Fletcher
Depeche Mode, 2012

"Sure," he again calmly replied. He then proceeded to recount for me, in tedious detail, the various steps needed to be taken in order to get backstage passes. His rote explanation from memory of the intensely bureaucratic procedure was flawless, never missing a beat (no pun intended).

As he proceeded, my facial expression became increasingly revealing of my dismay and disappointment.

Usually, when I corner him about something or another, he can get a little freaked out by the confrontation. I thinks it's just me, though.

But, not this time. His calm and centered demeanor never wavered throughout his explanations of the various options which can be taken in order to obtain backstage passes, for big groups, for small groups, for jazz groups, and for rock groups.

This had obviously happened to Ben before, people noodging him about getting them backstage passes.
At the conclusion, all I could muster to say was, "It's so much easier in California. All you have to do is sleep with the right people."

Normally, I would have expected an awkward pause at this juncture.

But, not this time. Ben just gave me a shrug of his shoulders, then after the pause, said, "Ill see what I can do."

Overhearing our conversation, by accident, of course, was another friend. This one worked for the Jerusalem Post.

"Why didn't you just ask me?" he exclaimed. "I work with the guy who does the music reviews. He gets tickets and backstage passes all the time!"

Apparently, he had NOT overheard the part about how complicated it was to get backstage passes, let a lone concert tickets, in Israel.

"Yeah, sure," I said, desperately trying to hold up a smile, and not let it seem too fake. "Give it a shot. Let me know."

Meanwhile, somewhere in the back of my mind, a tiny little voice was whispering, "Maybe God doesn't want you to go to the Depeche Mode concert."

"Perish the thought!"

In 2006, they canceled their concert. In 2009, I couldn't go, no money and no time off from work besides.

The third time's the charm, as they say.

Will The Almighty allow me to hang on to this last bit of galuth (exile) enjoyment? Should I feel guilty about going, and paying enough money for two weeks of food, to sit in the crappiest seats possible? What about feeling guilty about going, while everyone else is celebrating the reunification of the City of Jerusalem in 1967?